Association Brain Food Weekly: 9.16.16

Does everyone have a cup of coffee and a maple-glazed donut? No? Just me? No matter, it’s time to review the many learning opportunities scheduled for next week. Then, you know the drill, select and register for one and add it to your schedule. Make time to invest in your future.

Now, if your association or business hosts webinars or if you’re one of those smarty pants who regularly shares your expertise via webinars, this week’s list includes two items especially for you. Check out Wednesday’s The Art of Becoming a Great Webinar Presenter and Friday’s A Recipe for Creating Engaging Webinars.

If your company has a webinar scheduled in the next few weeks, please send me the link. I’ll be happy to feature it as long as it’s not too product-centric.

If your conference attendees are not engaged with your experience, what chance will they have to improve their job performance? Using the strategies identified in this presentation, every conference professional can create event experiences where engagement is the norm, not the exception.

You’ll learn how to identify the four questions you must address that participants ask themselves; why conference experiences must have a high level of inclusive, interactive energy experiences; and practical strategies that translate engagement research and theory into conference experience practice. More info/register.

Hosted by KiKi L’Italien, founder of Amplified Growth, this week’s chat is live at the Higher Logic office in Arlington VA. Register to attend in person or watch the live stream as KiKi and her guests discuss: how communications and association experts are navigating massive social and technological changes for their organizations and clients; their top concerns and visions for the future; and how association executives can confidently and proactively move forward in marketing and PR initiatives. More info/register.

Your event is a smashing success, but how do you prove it? Learn how to leverage the digital engagement at your event to demonstrate ROI; best practices for using a mobile app to realize instant cost savings; what metrics are available and how to interpret them; and actionable tips for sharing the value of the event with your team. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

This round table is a free-flowing conversation about the most pressing issues facing executives with 9 or fewer employees. Participants discuss best practices and create a valuable cadre of professional resources. More info/register.

Join the DC/MD/VA association community for a casual happy hour where you’re welcome to pop in and pop out as your schedule allows. More info/register.

Event organizer: Scott Oser

Wed 9/21 at 1 p.m. – 3 Strategies to Future-Proof Your Association

A panel of association industry technologists and association executives will discuss technological breakthroughs in mobile, eMarketing, data analytics and membership management that help associations transform their business and serve members more intelligently and profitably. You’ll hear about practices designed to help you: create unlimited event value; be where your members are; leverage your data; make it personal for members; and identify and drive new revenue opportunities. More info/register.

Host: Impexium

Wed 9/21 at 2 p.m. – Should You Beware the New Meetings Block Buster?

Airbnb and other alternative accommodation services are making inroads into the leisure travel market, but meeting-goers will always want to stay in the headquarters hotel, right? Exclusive research by MeetingsNet and event housing specialist onPeak|GES suggests that may not in fact be the case—at least, not for much longer. Hear about the disconnect between how planners think their attendees are booking and what’s really happening; what event accommodations challenges are on the rise, and how to get on top of them; and the up- and downsides of making peer-to-peer accommodations providers your next best frenemy. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

As an event planner, you have bigger problems to worry about than constantly reminding each speaker to submit their bio. This webinar will share tips to create a painless speaker management program. Learn how to increase the productivity of your events team by 67% using simple automation. 1 CMP credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Pathable and Hubb

Wed 9/21 at 2 p.m. – The Art of Becoming a Great Webinar Presenter

One of the most common complaints people have about webinars is that the speaker(s) were boring so they don’t feel engaged. This results in low viewing time and low content retention. And, if they don’t like your presenters, they probably won’t like your brand. Learn how to find great webinar talent, how to prepare for a webinar, tips for directly engaging your audience, and new formats to spice up your webinars. More info/register.

How can you get your message out to people for whom you don’t have email addresses, target a market that uses social media, increase email open rates, or revitalize your email audience? A growing number of organizations use marketing automation to turn content into leads and gain a deeper understanding of members. This free interactive workshop (with lunch provided for on-site attendees) will educate you on marketing automation, assess your organization’s readiness, and help you prepare a realistic timeline and budget. 3 CAE credits. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Marketing Section

Presenters:

Suzanne Carawan, CMO, HighRoad Solution

Maneesha Manges, Director of Consulting, HighRoad Solution

Adam Higgins, MarTech Consultant, HighRoad Solution

Thu 9/22 at 1 p.m. – Making Virtual Events a Strategic Reality

Most organizations reach only a small slice of members with traditional place-based conferences. The rest of the membership gets nothing—or, worse, finds other sources for learning and networking. Virtual events can help you solve this problem, but they’re not a panacea. This webinar will look at a range of virtual events to help you evaluate which option, if any, might be the right fit for your association and members. 1 CAE credit. More info/register.

Hosts: Naylor Learning Solutions and Blue Sky eLearn

Presenters:

Celisa Steele and Jeff Cobb, co-founders, Tagoras

Phil Forte, CEO and founder, Blue Sky

Thu 9/22 at 2 p.m. – The Future of Event Technology

The latest research suggests that events and trade shows are, by far, the highest category of spend for most marketers. But these events still remain isolated from the sophistication of most CRM and marketing automation processes. Learn how you can create world-class event experiences, driven by technology, while collecting valuable real-time customer data that can be shared with your sales and marketing clouds, and ultimately drive growth. 1 CEU credit. More info/register.

Host: PCMA and Lanyon

Presenter: Anthony Miller, CMO, Lanyon

Thu 9/22 at 4 p.m. – PD Book Club

The Professional Development Book Club is meeting via Zoom to discuss Brain Rules by John Medina—a must read for anyone involved in professional development or who wants to understand how brains learn. More info/register.

Host: ASAE Professional Development Section

Fri 9/23 at 1 p.m. – A Recipe for Creating Engaging Webinars

Here’s one for both association folks and the businesses that serve them: learn how to develop a reliable, repeatable process for delivering consistently engaging webinars. You’ll hear about best practices for: managing the process from planning to evaluation; determining how much coaching and support a subject matter expert needs to deliver an effective webinar; designing interactions that engage participants; and identifying steps you can take to avoid and troubleshoot common technical issues. More info/register.